I am not sure what compelled me to start flight training school, but there was something about soaring through the sky that appealed to me.  Over many conversations with my parents, with teachers, and with other pilots, the decision to become a career pilot was an easy one.  Although it was to be an academically and physically demanding path, aviation was my passion.  That much was abundantly clear.  I could not let anything stop me from achieving my goal of becoming a professional pilot.

Enrolling in flight training school was an exciting event for me, it was the first step toward making my dream of aviation a reality.  I saw catalogs for aircraft type rating programs for every aircraft I have ever heard of.  There are more planes than I expected, even.  Just browsing the possibilities for flight conspicuously piqued my interests.  There are type rating courses for Airbus A320s, A330s, Boeing 737s, and every other aircraft imaginable.  You can even get type ratings for turboprop planes.  I could not believe the opportunity that would be available to me once I obtained the proper initial flight training and experience.  Being a pilot is one of the few childhood dreams that can easily be made a reality through one’s own effort and dedication to success.  Just being aware of that fact is an inspiration to me and anyone else who desires to become a pilot.

Flight training classes are tough; it is not elementary school.  Training to become a pilot demands advanced knowledge of aircraft and the physics of flight.  An honest and thorough flight training program can be as rigorous and demanding as any college coursework.  Ask yourself: would you want flight training to be simple enough for anyone to do it? I barely trust people to drive their own cars, let alone fly a plane.  Flight training school must be strenuous and demanding; a mistake at 30,000 feet has a much greater impact than a fender bender in the grocery store parking lot.  Every pilot knows that when they are in control of an aircraft, it is their solemn charge to safely pilot it to its destination.

To me, one of the unintended but pleasant consequences of becoming a pilot is being able to experience the romanticized ideal of aviation.  Bomber jackets, aviator sunglasses, international travel to exotic destinations that I choose for myself . . . these are the romantic aspects of a pilot’s life.  I am truly able to take myself anywhere, and with every new experience, opportunities are set before me.  Each aircraft type rating I earn is a pass into another world of aviation that encourages me to constantly expand my abilities and push my flight training to new levels.  Why would I ever pass up an opportunity to learn to fly a new aircraft?

The path to becoming a professional aviator is one littered with strenuous academic dedication and incredible experiences that cannot be had in any other profession.  I would say that my decision to become a pilot was not a decision at all, but a destiny that was set before me from the earliest memories I have.   I confidently state that my decision to enroll in flight training school was easily the best choice I have ever made.